The English-language forum for all things Latin American, covering business, politics, and culture.

Friday, March 16, 2012

Today’s Video: "Conflict coltan"

Could coltan become Latin America's version of "blood diamonds"?

The substance, which is used in a variety of electronic devices, can be found in "vast reserves" in Venezuela's border region near Colombia. But an investigation by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists concluded that illicit coltan mining has helped fund numerous armed groups in the region including the FARC and emerging "bandas criminales".

The following video via Colombia's Noticias Uno examines how coltan could become a "conflict mineral" in the Americas: